This invention relates to anti-theft equipment for a two wheeled motorcycle having a center stand. Theft of a motorcycle is a frequent occurrence because of its portability and ease of concealment.
Various means have been devised to prevent theft including chains threaded through the wheels and interconnected by a padlock, horseshoe shaped bars with a locking cross member and integral locking mechanisms that lock the front wheel fork in an off center position. As those intent on stealing a motorcycle become more sophisticated, these conventional means become less of a deterrent. Powerful bolt cutters can snap even a case hardened chain, small jacks can spring a horseshoe lock and a canted front wheel can still allow a motorcycle to be loaded into the back of a pickup truck on a ramp by an angled attack on the ramp with a lifting of the front wheel onto the bed of the truck.
Because motorcycles are becoming more expensive, and are often used off-the-road without licensing, they have become an increasing target for theft. A stolen motorcycle can frequently be wheeled from the scene by hand and loaded into a van or onto the back of a pickup truck, covered and spirited away with minimal chance of detection.
The primary object of this invention is to provide a locking device for a two wheel motorcycle that engages the manufacturer equipped center stand to lock the stand in a downward operational position such that it cannot be pivoted to its retracted position. A center stand on a motorcycle is a parking device having two spaced legs connected to the motorcycle frame for pivotal movement of the stand with respect to the frame. A tension spring biases the stand to the inoperable retracted position against the underside of the frame, such that it does not interfere with the operation of the motorcycle. In use, the stand is pivoted downwardly while the motorcycle is pulled backward when foot pads on the end of the legs engage the ground. An upward lift to the back of the motorcycle may be employed to enable the legs to pass a vertical orientation before contacting a stop on the frame. When positioned, the stand orients the motorcycle in a stable upright position with the rear wheel elevated slightly from the ground.
In this position, the motorcycle has a three point contact with the ground, the two legs of the stand and one wheel. When the stand is locked in this position, the motorcycle is virtually impossible to move. Since a modern motorcycle for highway use weighs at least three hundred pounds and often over five hundred or more pounds, lifting the entire vehicle is a difficult task. The operationally positioned center stand when locked in position, therefore becomes a ground anchor and an effective deterrent to theft.